Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

Will the Minister give a commitment that the recommendation for mandatory after-care will be implemented in full? Unfortunately the report showed that children in after care were failed to an even greater extent than any other children in the care of the State. Nothing less than mandatory after-care is required and I ask the Minister for an assurance on that. As the Minister rightly points out the challenges still remain. Since the period covered by the Shannon-Gibbons report published last week, 40 children in the care of the State died up to May of last year. It is an area that requires much attention by the State and is very difficult. We must ensure that our services are as safe as possible. On the issue of a mandatory after-care policy, I ask the Minister to give a commitment today that she will introduce mandatory after-care provision and not something short of that.

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